The Plague at Locust ("PAL")

Directly under the Locust Street bridge, the main channel (to the right of the bridge pier) contains rocky rubble (including cement and rebar) which creates a short rocky pitch.

At levels somewhere above 500 cfs most of the debris is covered, and there is little more than splishy-splash rips. (Perhaps a couple of barely surfable waves.)

At lower summer levels this area changes to be potentially more treacherous to beginners or non-whitewater paddlers, potentially marginally more interesting for whitewater paddlers. At these lower flows, piles of rubble create more constricted flow. Canoeists may be best advised to kneel into the bottom of the canoe: getting your weight off the seats, lowering the center-of-gravity, and increasing your stability. Do NOT raise your arms and your paddle high overhead! Keep paddling!! (Or, consider portaging, keeping in mind, however, that any wet rocks on or near shore will be very slick! Watch your footing!).

Boaters who flip or swim are warned that there is a great deal of shallow coarse cement rubble in the main outflow in the pool below the main pitch. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO STAND while in the swift current! Attempting to stand (or to swim head-forward/face-down) in shallow, swift moving water is VERY likely to result in bruised and scraped up knees and shins! Instead, assume the 'swimmer's position'! (Floating as near the surface as possible, face up, feet downstream.) You WILL encounter rocks and cement with your shoes, your butt, and your (PFD protected) back. Wait until you are downstream in the calmer water in the pool before you even think about trying to find bottom, stand up, and collect your boat and gear.

There is a much smaller channel to the left of the bridge pier which has far less rubble and debris in the flow. At low flows (120-250 cfs) when the main channel can be most treacherous for beginners and non-whitewater paddlers, this less obvious channel is unlikely to be a viable alternative to the main channel, since shallow sandbars in the pool below may 'ground out' your boat.